


haunted by the ghost of you

by blisslouis



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon, Clouis, The Ericson kids - Freeform, some mention of our past friends, there are soft moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 22:44:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19238614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blisslouis/pseuds/blisslouis
Summary: "She waited for the dream to take a wicked turn, to turn into something sinister and taunting. Not because she wanted it to, of course, but because that's what she was used to. She hesitantly turned the corner, waiting for the dream to turn dark. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw"It's been 3 weeks since the Ericson kids defeated the delta, 3 weeks since the death of Louis. His death brings feelings of regret and painful memories, not only of him, but people from her past. She's forced to deal with these memories in the form of haunting dreams.





	haunted by the ghost of you

**Author's Note:**

> "I don't know what I'm supposed to do, haunted by the ghost of you, take me back to the night we met."
> 
> I have never written anything before, ever. so pls be kind ! this may be angsty but there is also soft moments??? this one shot was inspired by the songs "the night we met" by lord huron and the song at the end is "bye-bye darling" by BØRNS. ♡

It's been 3 weeks since they faced the delta, 3 weeks since they saved their friends, 3 weeks since Clementine lost her leg, and 3 weeks since Louis died.

No matter how much Clementine thought about that night, it never became easier, and she knows it never will become easier. Just like every important person who has died, she blamed herself. Lee, Omid, Christa, Sarah, Luke, Kenny, Gabe, and now Louis. All of their deaths were because of _her_ actions. She had chances to save them, things she could have done to prevent their fate, but she didn't, and now they're dead. Each one of their deaths were vivid and clear in her mind. The gunshots, the cracking of the ice, screams so terrifying it made her blood run cold, her pulse quicken and her heart sink. She tries not to think about it, distracting herself by doing constant work or entertaining AJ, but that felt _selfish_. She deserved to live with that. She deserved to live with the fact that these people risked their lives so she could live hers.

Out of all their deaths, Louis' hurt differently. It hurt in a way she couldn't explain. Louis woke up every morning _happy_ so that his friends would feel the same. No matter how shitty the world had become and no matter how much pain he was going through, he was always making dumb jokes and silly faces. He forgave her even after they murdered his best friend right in front of him. He managed to look past it all and still see the good in her, the beauty and potential. He taught her to _live_ instead of survive, something she hadn't done since she was eight years old. He showed her how to make the best out of life no matter how grim and shitty their situation was. Maybe if she had killed Minerva after the boat explosion, Louis would still be alive. After they escaped, she thought they would get back to the school and he would teach her how to play piano, and she would be planning their next date. But instead, she got back and had to plan his funeral. These are the kind of thoughts that kept her up at night, what she calls the ' _what if'_ thoughts. What if she hadn't run away in attempt to find her parents, what if she hadn't gone alone into that gas station bathroom, what if she hadn't tried to cross the frozen pond to save Luke, what if she had gone looking for Gabe instead of going with Javi. It was an ongoing cycle, she would lay in bed for hours staring at the ceiling, thinking about the 'what if' thoughts while the visions of them dying sat etched in her brain. Eventually, she'd succumb to sleep and the pains of her past would takeover in the form of dreams. Tonight was another one of those nights.

-

She was standing in the middle of the courtyard. She quickly took in her surroundings, a survival instinct that was now a part of her everyday routine. The first thing she noticed was that she felt balanced, she peered down to see _two legs,_ confirming that she was indeed dreaming. To say the school looked different was an understatement, she almost didn't recognize it. Until now, Clementine had only seen the school run down and stodgy looking. The walls were sturdy, but covered in thick layers of moss and the windows had been shattered, replaced with boards. Not to mention, a huge portion of the school was burnt down, and was an eye sore of bricks and junk. The dirt yard had always been overrun with weeds and the occasional "fuck off" sign would peek out of the tall grass, the walls surrounding the school were grim and made an obnoxious noise when you opened them. The only things in the courtyard were stained, moth-eaten couches that were ripped and damaged from years of weather damage, and picnic tables that looked like they were ready to fall apart from the smallest bit of pressure. But the school she was now staring at was the complete opposite, it was charming. The school it self looked clean, the once shambled building was now pristine. The large pillars stood tall and looked castle-like . The windows were no longer broken and the roof of the school no longer had weather aged gaps. The ground didn't solely consist of dull looking weeds and dirt. Lush, bright green grass covered the courtyard. In the courtyard were several sturdy picnic tables and benches. But the most eye catching thing was the dozens of kids that filled the courtyard.The courtyard she was used to was usually dull and vacant, but the courtyard she was staring didn't just look alive, it _felt_ alive. All the kids looked between Willy's age, and her age, made sense. Kids were in groups, some sprawled out across the grass, taking in the warmth from the sunset. Others were sat on the benches, socializing and laughing with one another. Another group of children were running across the courtyard, giggling and squealing. She stood in the middle of the courtyard, still in disbelief of what she was seeing. She could have stood there forever admiring everything, until a familiar voice took her attention.

"Clementine!"

She snapped her head up, only to lock eyes with a familiar blued eyed boy. Marlon stood in front of her. The last time she ever saw him _alive_ , his eyes were empty and cold, his whole persona was sullen. But the boy in front of her had a genuine smile plastered across his face. His face was no longer dirty and covered in small scars and scratches, and his mullet which Violet once described as looking like a dead cat, was now gone. He still wore his Ericon's jacket, but now it looked new and the leather was no longer dry and sun damaged. Behind her were more familiar faces. Mitch, Brody, Minerva, and another girl with ginger hair that fell over her shoulders, who she could only assume was Sophie. Mitch, Brody and Minerva all looked different from the last times she saw them. Mitch's usual annoyed grimace was now replaced with a mischievous grin. Brody's aura of anxiousness and sadness, was now an aura of confidence and serenity. Minerva's who was once unstable and filled with rage now looked carefree and blissful. They looked content, they looked _alive._ Clementine couldn't take her eyes off the group, she felt lost for words. Even if she could form sentences in that moment, she didn't know what she would say.

 _"Welcome to Ericon's boarding school for troubled youth, It's our little kingdom!"_ Marlon said in a humorous tone, hoping she'd understand the reference.

Clementine had dreams where she reunited with people of the past many times in her life, but most of them were dreadful. They were the type of dreams that she felt stuck in, that she couldn't wait to snap out of. But this was different, it was nostalgic. It had a similar feeling of _pureness,_ like the dreams she had of Lee. A place she wished she could visit each night.

"You aren't mad at me?" was the only sentence she managed to stammer out. Because why would he _not_   be mad at her? Her and AJ murdered him, they took him away from his best friend, his family. She was expecting him to be enraged with her, the same way he was that stormy night in the courtyard. But the words that came out of his mouth were the _opposite_.

"It's okay, Clementine" he lightheartedly chuckled, raising his hands jokingly.

"Louis, he explained it to me, everything. I was an asshole for acting like that, the kid was scared and i was flailing a gun around, threatening the only person he cared about. Hell, i probably would have done the same thing. I understand."

_Louis explained it to him._

Before she could ask the one question that had been etching her brain since she got here, a meek voice spoke up, cutting off her thoughts.

"Clementine?" She turned to see a girl that could be mistaken for Minnie by first glance, but had shoulder length hair. _Sophie_. She had the same expressive blue eyes as her sister, and her face was scattered with freckles. Her persona reminded her of Tenn, warm.

"How- how is Tenn? Is he doing okay?" She said worryingly, glancing up at her from the steps. 

Sophie would have easily towered over her if it weren't for the fact she was sitting

She inhaled deeply, wanting to choose her words carefully to not upset anyone.  
"Tenn is..." She didn't mean to trail off, but she didn't know how to answer _that._ How would you describe a boy who lost both of his sisters 3 weeks ago, and felt responsible for the death of one of his closest friends. She felt a sharp sting to her chest even thinking about it. She quickly focused her attention back on the question, to avoid thinking about it.

"He's good. Well, as good as he can be after everything that's happened" A genuine smile spread across Sophie's face after hearing that.

"AJ has been teaching him how to defend himself, how to use a gun and survive. In return he is teaching AJ how to be an artist" _she smiled_

 _"_ He, um, he visits you guys everyday. We all do. He's usually happy, he tells us that you're in a better place and we'll see you again. Him and Aj, they draw pictures of everyone and leave them at, uh..." Clem's voice started trailing off

"Our graves?" Mitch snorted

"Yeah" She responded quietly, nervously rubbing her neck, a habit she did in uncomfortable situations and could never seem to get rid of.

"I'm really glad- glad that he isn't sulking over it. He was always good about things like that." Minerva faintly said with a poignant smile.

The atmosphere suddenly became silent, except for the distant chatter and laughter of other kids in the courtyard. She knew they were all feeling the same way. It wasn't happy, but it wasn't sad either. It was bittersweet. Whoever said every action has a consequence was right, the consequence of saving their friends meant losing friends too. Sometimes she thinks maybe if they had just surrendered to Lilly, that everyone would still be alive. Yeah, they would probably be child soldiers, their every move being controlled by Lilly, but they would be alive. But then she thinks of Louis, and everything he told her. Surviving _isn't_   living, and that is what reminds her she did the right thing.

"He's in the music room" Mitch said bluntly, rolling his eyes

He just answered the question she'd been wanting to ask since she got there, The only thing that had been occupying her mind was _Louis._

 _"I-"_ She could feel warmth creep up her neck and to her cheeks

"What? Did you think you just came here to visit your old pal Mitch" He said smirking, clearly amused by her embarrassment

She couldn't help but chuckle at the irony in his sentence

"Thanks, I guess." She came off sarcastic, but she genuinely meant it. She said her goodbyes to the others before quickly making her way to the music room.  
-  
A soft and sweet familiar melody poured out of the music room. Clementine. A song Louis had once composed, and had named after her. She never imagined someone ever taking interest in her, let alone someone as special as Louis. The boy who taught her how to _live,_ not just survive. The boy who forgave her even after everything they put him through. The boy who put her before himself, coming back to look for her and AJ, when he could have just gone back to the safety of the school. His life taken away by one careless mistake, she should have gone a different route, she should have killed Minerva earlier. 

Nothing could have prepared her for _this._ She had seen Louis in what she thought were dreams, but were actually nightmares, before. They were always torturous reminders of the traumatic night at the bridge. Minerva's haunting voice, the gunshot, his _screaming_. But this was the complete opposite, the nostalgic melody made her feel safe and warm, the same way it did the night he first played it for her. She waited for the dream to take a wicked turn, to turn into something sinister and taunting. Not because she wanted it to, of course, but because that's what she was used to. 

She hesitantly turned the corner, waiting for the dream to turn dark. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. Her breathe hitched when she saw that Louis was sat across the room from her, his gaze fixated on the piano he was gently playing. He was wearing the same brown trench coat and ripped jeans, but they were no longer tattered and worn. The sun had set at this point, and the room was now a soft hue of blue, the only light being a few candle sitting atop the piano, reflecting enough light that she could see the dozens of freckles scattered across his face, continuing down his chest and under his shirt. His lips were raised in a soft smile, something he absently did whenever he was doing what he loved, playing piano. Her presence caught his attention, he abruptly stopped in the middle of the song, shifting his body to face her. Realizing it was Clementine, the smile he once had grew into a toothy ear to ear grin.

"It's about time, thought you weren't gonna make it." He joked, flashing her a goofy grin

Seeing his smile made her pulse falter and her knees unstable. There he was, standing a few feet in front of her but she stood frozen. It was as if she had forgotten how to speak, she had a million things she wanted to tell him, but when she opened her mouth she couldn't find any.

"Louis" she said in a breathy, cracked tone

Before he could reply, she found herself beside him on the piano bench with her arms tightly wrapped around his torso and her face pressed against his neck. He quickly returned the hug by wrapping his arms around her back, gently, as she was so much smaller than him. She clutched a handful of his shirt. Clementine didn't want to let go, in fear that he would dissipate and she would find herself awake, staring at her bedroom ceiling again, _alone_. Feelings of guilt, remorse and frustration rose from her chest, forming into a pool of tears in her eyes.

"God Louis, I'm so sorry, i could have done something, I-"

"It's not your fault, Clem." he mumbled against her curls

"It _is_ , Louis. I could have done something, I could have brought us a different route, stopped Minerva earlier, but i didn't and now- " She pulled away from their hug, to admire his presence, to make sure he was still there. Despite all of this, his face still had a luminous glow of _happiness_. His lips were turned upward in a comforting smile, the one he usually gave her as encouragement, or when she was visibly upset or worried. His hands trailed from where they were on her shoulders, down her arms, finding their way to her hands, softly intertwining them. The felt the same as before, smooth and calloused, warm and safe. 

"It was a herd of walkers Clem, there is no way you could have stopped them. It wasn't anyones fault, _especially_ not yours." he gently tilted her chin upwards, so they were more level to each other

"Hey, at least i went out in a badass way, right? I always thought I'd go out from being a dumbass, but i died a hero" he smirked, softly bumping her shoulder

"Not funny" she gave him a disheartened smile. She knew he was trying to make her feel better by lightening the mood

"I miss you, Lou." 

"I miss you too, Clem." He squeezed her hand as a form of comfort

"How are the others? Are they okay?"

"They're alright, everyone is safe. Violet's eye is healing well, Ruby said if everything goes as planned, Vi should have some vision left. Tenn is planning on training Rosie to become her guide dog."

"I'm glad. Not about her vision, obviously. But glad about Tenn helping her."  He said with a genuine smile.

"Oh, and Ruby and Aasim are a thing now." She couldn't help but laugh at the memories of Louis constantly teasing him, and their game of truth and dare.

Right away, Louis broke into a fit of laughter "It's about time, the kid had a mondo crush on her for years, i can't believe he waited till' i wasn't there to witness it." 

As her legged gently grazed against his, it brought up the next topic of conversation.

"How's your leg?"

"How did you know?" She questioned him

"I know everything, Clem." He tugged and the collar of his coat, giving her a knowing smile.

Him doing that made her smile, it was one of her favourite, and one of his cutest quirks.

"It's alright, i guess. As good as it can be for a leg that got sawed off by a five year old in a barn, surrounded by walkers. But I'm really lucky, AJ saved my life. 

Louis was frowning, clearly upset imagining the vivid image in his head. "I'm really glad he was there." His grip around her hand tightened.

"I am too, I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't. It hurt like hell, but it's getting a lot better. Willy and AJ told me that they're planning on making me a prosthetic leg, or what they call a pirate leg." This made them both laugh

"You're the most badass _and_ strong person i know Clem. If you were able to make it through everything else you've gone through, you can make through this, easy!" He smiled

The honesty and genuineness in his voice made her smile.

The room fell silent for a brief moment, she used it to take in the moment, to take in her surroundings, to take in _him_. Although she had every detail of his face engraved in her mind, she was scared she would forget it, that it would suddenly vanish from her memory. The same with his voice and laughter, that's what she was most terrified of forgetting. That his voice would slowly fade from her memory, the same way her parents voices were. 

"I don't want to leave you." her voice cracking, she felt her eyes sting as tears formed and crept down her cheeks, she didn't realize until she tasted the salt against her lips.

"I'll always be here, Clem." He said in attempt to comfort her, stroking small circles over her thumb. But she could tell by the frown tugging his lips, and his knitted eyebrows that he felt the same.

"But if you _aren't_ , Louis? What if i can't see you again, what if I forget your voice, your-"

She was suddenly cut off when his lips gently pressed against hers, his smooth hand cupped her face, his thumb softly wiping at the wet tears on her cheek. She immediately returned the kiss, melting into his comforting embrace and placing her hand on his neck. He felt warm, real, _alive_. He pulled away from their kiss, only to scatter more across her face.

"I promise I'll be here, Clementine." He pulled out of the embrace to give her a final, light kiss on the forehead.

She leaned into him, hooking her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder. She could feel her eyes and the rest of her body becoming heavy, she reluctantly shut her eyes.

"Can you play me something?"

"My speciality." He teased

He softly started playing a melody, a few moments after he started _singing,_ his soft voice was smooth and comforting, making her more sleepy.

_"Bye, bye darling, goodbye in advance..."_

She could feel a smile tug at her lips, him singing reminded her of the day they met and he sung to her, even though he'd only known her for a few minutes.

_"We had a good run darling, don't you cry"_

_"Now in the end, it's gonna be just fine"_

_"In the end it all feels like a dream"_

_"Someday we'll find out what it means"_

_"bye bye, darling."_

He hummed, playing the last few chords.

"Louis?" She mumbled

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Clem."

That's all she needed to know, before drifting back into reality.

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
